The year is 2044. A 44-year-old Swede has just won his seventh Green Jacket, breaking the record set by Jack Nicklaus, who won his sixth and final Masters title in 1986. One more Major Championship and Ludvig Aberg will join the Golden Bear on 18, a story that will dominate the headlines ahead of next month’s Players Championship (which is now a Major).
We’ve had a look into our crystal ball to get a glimpse of the golfing headlines 20 years from now… you know, just for a bit of fun. Although some of these headlines might sound fanciful (we might even be jesting), others are a little easier to imagine.
‘AI To Help Bring An End To Slow Play’
In a controversial move by golf’s governing bodies, artificial intelligence is to be used to help eradicate the age-old problem of slow play.
Starting next season, the PGA Tour is set to trial wristbands that warn a player when they are taking too long over a shot, by emitting a small electric shock.
AI will help determine how long each player is allowed to play a shot by taking into account a host of different variables, including the difficultly of the course and weather conditions.
Although the electric shock is said to cause no more than a “tickling sensation”, one player, who didn’t want to be named, described the move as “insane”.
However, the trial is thought to have many supporters, with one current pro telling us that he’d be happy for the electric shock to get progressively worse if it meant seeing the end of six-hour rounds.
'Royal Porthcawl Set To Host First Open Championship’
Royal Porthcawl is finally set to welcome golf’s oldest Major Championship to its famous links, with the 172nd Open getting underway in Wales this week.
The South Wales venue has had to wait a lot time to host The Open, but after joining the rota of Open courses six years ago, this wonderful layout, which has previously hosted Senior Open Championships, now gets its chance to shine.
‘It’s Ludvig’s World – We’re Just Living In It’
Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg has claimed his seventh Masters title, beating the record of six Green Jackets set by Jack Nicklaus in 1986. The 44-year-old, who also triumphed at the 8,300-yard Augusta National last year, will now set his sights on winning a record-equalling 18th Major title at Sawgrass next month.
‘Date Set For LIV Golf Rest Of The World Showdown’
Greg Norman has praised the PGA and DP World Tours for “finally seeing sense” and agreeing a date for a Ryder Cup-style match between the top 12 players on LIV Golf versus a Rest of the World side.
The much-anticipated showdown will take place in 2045 at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in Saudi Arabia, and 89-year-old Norman has already named Dustin Johnson as his captain.
Johnson, who retired from LIV Golf ten years ago, after becoming the first golfer ever to win $1 billion in prize money, said he was “really excited” about the tournament.
‘Talor Gooch In Major Controversy’
America’s Talor Gooch has risked a war of words with Rory McIlroy after claiming that this year’s Senior Open Championship should have an asterisk next to it should the Ulsterman win.
Gooch, a former LIV star who won his first three senior Major Championships, will not be in the field at St Andrews because of injury, which means McIlroy, 54, will start as favorite.
“The fact that I won’t be playing, well, it just means it really opens the door for everyone else, especially Rory,” said Gooch. “I think perhaps the organisers should put an asterisk next to the winner.”
‘Bryson DeChambeau Announces Plans For First 10,000-Yard Golf Course’
Former LIV Golf star Bryson DeChambeau has revealed that he’s in the early stages of a design project that will see the creation of the world’s first 10,000-yard golf course.
DeChambeau, a winner of the World Long Drive Championship on three occasions, said it was time to start lengthening golf courses to cope with the new generation of “super hitters” that he inspired when he started hitting bombs 20 years ago.
Although he’s not revealed where and when the new course will be built, he said his trademark holes will be comprised of “meaty par 7s” and at least one 300-yard par 3
‘Charlie Woods Wins Gold In Spain’
Woods Junior might still be seeking his first Major Championship, but he now has something his father never got his hands on – an Olympic gold medal.
The 35-year-old, who has won six times on the PGA Tour, fired a scintillating final-round 65 at Valderrama to finish five shots clear, which made it double gold for the US after Rose Zhang’s triumph in the women’s tournament.
